This invention relates to a container with a hinged lid, and more particularly to a lid latching mechanism for rectangular containers constructed of semi-rigid plastic materials.
Containers with hinged lid closure means are old in the art and have been constructed of a variety of materials including metal, cardboard and plastic. Most such containers have included lid latching means in the form of cooperating or interacting projections and/or projections and indentations.
The material of construction of the container has a definite affect on the effectiveness and durability of the lid latching mechanism. Paper or cardboard containers are typically less durable than for example metal containers. Metal containers however, are expensive to fabricate and recent emphasis has been on the fabrication of containers with hinged lid closure means from thermoplastic polymers which may be injection molded at great speed and low cost. Such plastic containers, especially thin, walled, semi-rigid containers, have demonstrated a problem with conventional lid latching mechanisms which had been used successfully on the more rigid metal containers. This has been particularly true in situations where the thermoplastic containers are subjected to elevated temperatures during packing, packaging or use.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved lid latching mechanism for containers with a hinged lid closure. It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved hinged container fabricated of semi-rigid plastic materials. It is a yet further object of this invention to provide an improved lid latching mechanism for containers fabricated by injection molding thermoplastic polymers. These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and claims.